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Bernie Sanders urges Washington state delegation to keep the faith

Sen. Bernie Sanders surprised the Washington state delegation with a visit to their breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, July 27. He stopped by the meeting at the Sheraton Hotel at Society Hill to keep delegates “focused on the real issues,” Sanders said, after the Washington delegation may have started the DNC walk-out protest Tuesday evening. The protest was lead by Sanders delegates in response to Hillary Clinton officially receiving the Democratic nomination for president.

Sen. Bernie Sanders surprised the Washington state delegation with a visit to their breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, July 27. He stopped by the meeting at the Sheraton Hotel at Society Hill to keep delegates “focused on the real issues,” Sanders said, after the Washington delegation may have started the DNC walk-out protest Tuesday evening. The protest was lead by Sanders delegates in response to Hillary Clinton officially receiving the Democratic nomination for president. Michaela WinbergFor The Bellingham Herald

Sen. Bernie Sanders surprised the Washington state delegation with a visit to their breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, July 27. He stopped by the meeting at the Sheraton Hotel at Society Hill to keep delegates “focused on the real issues,” Sanders said, after the Washington delegation may have started the DNC walk-out protest Tuesday evening. The protest was lead by Sanders delegates in response to Hillary Clinton officially receiving the Democratic nomination for president. Michaela WinbergFor The Bellingham Herald

Sanders encourages Washington delegates to build Democratic party

Sen. Bernie Sanders told Washington state delegates that the country is now facing bigger issues than him losing the Democratic presidential nomination.

“We have an enormous amount of work to do, and that means keeping our eyes focused on the real issues,” he said at the state’s early morning breakfast on Wednesday, July 27. He then rallied Washington’s delegates to defeat Donald Trump.

I want to talk about what we believe, what we’ve accomplished, but more importantly, where we have to go from here. The future of the Democratic party is with our agenda.

Sen. Bernie Sanders

Tatum Kenn, 18, and a Sanders delegate from Bellingham, said she thinks the Vermont senator visited the Washington delegates because they helped lead the DNC walk-out protest late Tuesday evening just after Hillary Clinton officially clinched the Democratic nomination.

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“His message has really been consistent,” Kenn said. “He was here because we led the walk-out, and he was like, ‘No, no, no.’”

“I want to talk about what we believe, what we’ve accomplished, but more importantly, where we have to go from here,” Sanders added. “The future of the Democratic party is with our agenda.”

Instead of continuing to focus on polls, campaign fundraising and gossip, Sanders encouraged the delegates to think bigger – like building the Democratic party, he said.

“We need to revitalize democracy, and to bring more and more people into the political process,” Sanders said.

Jaxon Ravens, the chair of Washington Democrats, emphasized the tone of Sanders’ message and echoed his call to look beyond this election.

“Sanders is the key to the future,” Ravens told the delegation. “That’s what happened on this stage. … I’m so touched Sen. Sanders felt the call to come today.”

Sanders also thanked the entire Washington delegation for what he said was the “extraordinary support that we received from your beautiful state.”

“We did as well, I think, in Washington as almost any state in the country.”

Michaela Winberg is a journalist and a student at Temple University in Philadelphia. She is reporting on the Democratic National Convention from Philadelphia as part of a groundbreaking project allowing students to cover the event for local newspapers, TV stations and digital outlets. Follow her on Twitter: @mwinberg_.

Whatcom County Council at-large seat candidates Barry Buchanan and Mary Kay Robinson discuss their approaches to water rights in light of the Hirst decision. That decision by the state Supreme Court clarified that Washington's Growth Management Act requires counties to protect ground and surface waters by ensuring there is enough water available to accommodate growth before more development is authorized. The candidates spoke Oct. 23 at Mount Baker High School at a forum presented by the Bellingham/Whatcom League of Women Voters and the City of Bellingham. The Bellingham Herald was the media partner for the event.